Flap closure and opening means for containers or the like



Nov. 29, 1960 cs. B. MCFARLAND FLAP CLOSURE AND OPENING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1958 5 3. Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTOR. GERALD B. M- FARLAND ATTORNEYS zlils 4 a.

Nov. 29, 1960 5. 8. MCFARLAND 05 FLAP CLOSURE AND OPENING mus FOR CONTAINERS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F /G /4 INVENTOR. 39 37 34 39' GERALD B. M FARLANDf if 4E5 By A TTOPNEKS Nov. 29, 1960 e. B. MCFARLAND 2,962,205

FLAP CLOSURE AND OPENING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 44 4O GERALD B. M FARLAND A TTOPNE S Unitid Stat f M. B. McFarland & Sons, McFarland, Calif., a partnership Filed Feb. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 716,724

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-85) This invention relates generally to sealable devices or containers, such as mailing envelopes or similar instruments, made from paper or other suitable material; adapted to be closed and sealed by closure sealing flaps foldably connected thereto.

As is well known, conventional envelopes are usually closed and sealed by means of a foldable flap having a glue strip adjacent the outer edge of its inner face, which strip, vvhen moistened and the flap folded against the envelope body in face to face relationship, seals the 'envelope closed. Moistening of the glue strip is a bother some and unpopular task since it is frequently done with a persons tongue. Further, climatic conditions and age often aifect the glue during storage of the envelopes causing the glue to become non-elfective or to premature- 1y stick during storage. Thus, the envelope is rendered worthless since the sealing means have deteriorated.

To open such prior envelope to reach the contents thereof, it is necessary to tear or cut open the flap, 'Not' only'is this a bothersome procedure, but "adenine-en: velope is inadvertently torn or cut during opening in a manner which results in destruction or damage of its contents.

Summarizing this invention, it has as itsobjects, among others, the provision of a container or instrument of the type described having as an integral part thereof an improved closure device or securing means that is sealaljle by pressure alone, thereby eliminating the distaste ful task of moistening glue; the provision, in integral combination with such closure device, of means for easily opening the container or instrument without the use of any separate opening devices, such as knives and like tools, and without danger of damaging the contents of such envelope; and the provision of a particular tape as sembly for use with existing closure flap'type containers or instruments to provide easy sealing and opening of such containers or instruments.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 579',282, entitled Envelope Construction, filed April 19, 1956, now Patent No. 2,859,907.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a paper envelope of this invention showing the closure flap of the envelope open with closure and opening tape means positioned on the closure flap. v l

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the envelope of Fig. 1, showing removal of the protective strip from the sealing tape to expose a surface of the sealing adhesive prepara tory to sealing the closure flap.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the envelope of Figs; '1: and 2, showing the envelope closed and with anopem'ng tab in accessible position.

2,962,205 Patented Nov. 29,196o

Fig. 4 is an isometric view illustrating o ening the closed envelope of Fig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale taken in the plane of line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the tape means on the envelope flap before removal of the protective strip for sealing. I v

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale taken in the plane of line 6'6 of Fig. 2 showing the protective strip removed and the envelope ready for sealing;

Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale of a sealed envelope taken in the plane of line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale taken in the plane of line 88 of Fig. 4 showing an envelope having the adhesive tape removed. I I

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on anenlarged scale taken in'the planeof line 9-9 of Fig. 2 showing further details of the tape means during removal of the protective strip.

Fig. 10 is an isometric view of another embodiment of an envelope showing a modified form of envelope closure and opening tape means positioned on an open envelope closure flap. V

Fig. 11 is an'isonietric view of the envelope of Fig. '10 illustrating the removal of the protective strip from the tape means for exposing an adhesive layer on thev tape.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary isometric view ofth'e envelope of Fig. 11, showing the protective strip removed and showing a protective section or tab still adhered to the tape to provide p'iill tab opening means. l N

Fig. 13 is an isometric view of the envelope of Fig. ll showing the envelope closed with opening p'ulltab means inaccessible position for opening.

Fig; 14'is'an-en'd'view taken in the plane of line of Fig; 10 showing details of the tape means secured to the envelope closure flap. v l

Fig. 15 is a side elevational schematic vie'w'of a manner in which tape securing means may be applied to an envelope. v l M Fig. 16 i'san isometric schematic view of a'manner of applying tape securing means to an envelope. p

Fig. 17 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken in the plane of line 17-17 of Fig 16. H I

Referring to Figs. 1 through9, the invention is, shown as embodied in a conventional paper envelope 11' having a'bo'dy portion 12, a top opening 13 for access to the body, and a closure flap I4 whieh is hingedly connected, as along fold line 16, to the body portion 12 and is adapted to cl'ose the envelope by folding over top access opening 13' into face to face engagement with body portion 12. 7

To effect securing of flap 14 against body 12" to seal the envelope closed, there is provided an elongated sub stantially flat tape 17 secured to the flap 14 adjacent its free or closure edge 18 and extending across the width of the flap between the opposite sideedges 19 and 1 9 of the flap. Such tape, which desirably is coated with pressure sensitive adhesive on both sides top'rovitle for adherence of. the tape to flap 14 during manufacture of the envelope as well as for sealing the envelope closed, has a protective strip 20 of paper or the like temporarily and removably adhered to and covering an outer adhesive surface 21 of tape 17 by which the ensure fi'a p 14 may be sealed to the body 12. Strip 20 prevents inadvertent sticking of the tape until the envelope is ready for sealing and also protects the adhesive against damage. Strip 20 also allows flap 14 to be folded over against body 12 without sticking thereto to efi'ect con s'ervation of space during storage or 'shipmentof "a sup ply of envelopes. I

For removing protective strip 20 preparatory to scab ing of the envelope, a pull tab 22 is provided at one of its ends and is adapted to be grasped by fingers of a hand for removing the protective strip to expose outer adhesivesurface or coating 21 of the tape for envelope sealing. Pull tab 22 extends beyond the end of adhesive coated tape 17 and beyond side edge 19 of flap 14 to effect ready grasping for removal of the protective strip. Tab 22 desirably is colored to facilitate its location for grasping. 7

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the adhesive tape is secured to closure flap 14 at a location closely adjacent free edge 18 thereof and extends substantially parallel to such edge between side edges 19 and 19'. The face of flap 12 to which the tape is secured may be designated a sealing face and the predetermined area of such face lying under tape 17 may be designated a sealing area of the flap.

When flap 12 is folded along line 16 into face to face engagement with envelope body 12, the sealing area of the flap overlies a predetermined portion of the envelope body. That portion of body 12 lying beneath the flap sealing area and tape 17 secured to such sealing area may be designated the body sealing area. As a result, predetermined sealing areas of the closure flap 14 and body 12 are aligned when the envelope is closed and sealed in the overlapping position shown in Fig. 3.

To facilitate removal of protective strip 20 from tape 17, it is desirable that tape 17 have greater adhesive qualities on the side engaging flap 14 than on the side engaging protective strip 20 to insure that the tape will not be pulled from the fiap when protective strip 20 is being removed. Both pull tab 22 and protective strip 20may be of the same material (one being a continuation of the other) since the tab extends freely beyond adhesive surface 21 and so cannot adhere to it. Pro tective strip 20 should be of a non-adhesive material that will adhere to adhesive surface 21 sufficiently to protect the same, but still will be easily removable therefrom by pulling on tab 22 without damaging or removing the adhesive on surface 21.

Elongated tape 17 may be any one of the well known pressure sensitive types, such as a cellulose, acetate. While desirably both sides of tape 17 are provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, it should be understood, however, that, under certain conditions, the side of tape 17 engaged with the face of flap 14 may be pro: vided with other types of adhesive, such as moistures ticking adhesive or the like, since generally the tape is mechanically applied to the envelope flap and a human tongue need not contact such side.

' When a letter or other object has been placed in the envelope and the protective strip 20 removed as above described, the envelope is sealed easily and rapidly by folding closure fiap 14 downward over opening 13 into engagement with body 12 and pressing adhesive surface 21 of tape 17 against the sealing area of body 12 of the envelope to secure the flap and envelope body together.

For opening of the envelope, opening means in the form of a pull tab 23, desirably colored to facilitate locating it, is secured to one end of tape 17. Tab 23 is securely fastened to tape 17 so that upon pulling of such tab, the tape is separated from the envelope body and pulled through the flap along its entire length (Fig. thus releasing the folded flap 14 (see Fig. 8) for unfolding to neatly and quickly open the envelope without damage to its contents and without the use of any tools whatsoever. To facilitate grasping, tab 23 is positioned beyond the side edge of flap 14 as shown in Fig. 3.

. To enhance accessibility of tabs 22 and 23, they desirably are positioned at opposite ends of the tape and are of different colors to preclude inadvertent graspIng of opening tab 23 when removing the protective strip 19 prior to sealing the envelope. the tape securing means, appropriate directions maybe printed on the envelope describing its manner of use during sealing and opening.

To facilitate opening of the envelope, the flap 14 desirably is provided with a tearable line of weakness 24 across its full width adjacent and parallel to the inner edge of tape 17. Upon pulling opening tab 23 (Fig. 4) the tape 17 will tear through flap 14 along such tearable line 24, whereby the tape and a narrow portion of the flap adhered to the tape are severed from the main portion of the flap, thereby completely opening the envelope. To insure that the tape will tear the flap upon pulling, the tape material used is stronger than the material 3 from which the envelope flap is made. Upon pulling on tab 23, tape 17 is completely separated from the face of body 12 to which it previously had been adhered during mailing.

It is also to be noted that opening pull tab 23 should be an integral part of tape 17, or else be securely fastened thereto, to enable pulling of the tape from the envelope body to open the envelope without tab 23 becoming disengaged from tape 17.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, opening tab 23 extends beyond side edge 19 of flap 14 to facilitate grasping thereof. However, tab 23 does not extend beyond the adjacent side margin of the sealed envelope body due to the fact that opposite side edges 19 and 19' of closure flap 14 converge towards each other in a direction away from the fold line 16 about which the flap is folded. As

a result, pull tab 23 may project beyond the side edge of flap 14 without projecting beyond the side margin of the envelope body. In addition, tab 23 normally does not project out of the plane of flap 14 during handling prior to opening. Therefore, while the envelope is undergoing operations performed by the postal department during mailing, such as cancelling the stamp in an automatic machine or the like, tab 23 generally cannot become caught or otherwise accidentally engaged to inadvertently open the envelope.

The modification of the mailing envelope illustrated in Figs. 10 to 14 also includes structure which precludes accidental engagement of the opening pull tab in a cancelling machine or the like.

Fig. 10 illustrates an envelope 31 of paper or the like which comprises a conventional body portion 32 having an access opening 33 adjacent the top thereof and a closure flap 34 hingedly connected along fold line 36 to envelope body 32. Closure flap 34 is adapted to be folded over into face to face engagement with envelope body 32 in the conventional manner to bring alignable sealing areas thereof (as defined hereinbefore) into engagement for closing and sealing the envelope.

To efi'ect securing of flap 34 against body 32 to seal the envelope closed, a modified type of securing means including an elongated strip of fiat tape 37 is provided. Tape 37 desirably is of the doubled coated adhesive variety described previously with respect to the envelope construction of Figs. 1 to 9. Tape 37 is secured to flap 34 adjacent its free edge 38 and extends substantially parallel to such free edge in the area between the opposite flap side edges 39 and 39'.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, side edges 39 and 39' of flap 34 converge only slightly upwardly in the direction away from fold line 36. If desired, however, fiap 34 could be formed with side edges which converge a substantial amount, such as shown in the envelope of Figs. 1 to 3. Tape 37 is adhesively secured to the flap 34 by means of an appropriate pressure sensitive adhesive provided on the inner side of the tape. To protect the outer adhesive layer on the other side of the tape and to prevent inadvertent adherence of the tape to another surface, a protective strip 40, of paper or other appropriate material, is removably adhered to such outer adhesive layer.

To insure proper use of i :As. shown in Figs. 11 and 14, adhesive tape 37 does not extend the full distance between side edges 39 and 39' .offiap 34 but terminates .at a locationspaced inwardly from one of the side edges. .In the embodiment illus .trated tape 37 terminates inwardly .from side edge 39'.

As shown in Fig. 10, protective strip 40 extends substantially the entire distance between the opposite side edges 39 and 39 of flap 34 and one end of such protective strip overlies and engages the portion of the flap adjacent side edge 39' which is not covered by adhesive tape 37. In this manner, a free protective strip pull tab 41 is provided to facilitate grasping of the protective strip for removal of the same to al-lowfsealing of the envelope.

By terminating tape 37 inwardly from side edge 39' of flap 34, the tape may be completely covered by the protective strip but no portion of the strip extends beyond the edge of the flap which can in any way be accidentally engaged to displace theprotec't'ive strip from the adhesive tape. For purposes of illustration, the tab end 41 of protective strip 40 in Fig. is shown curved out of the plane of the remainder of the protective strip but it should be understood that normally such strip and the tab end 41 thereof lie flat in substantially parallel relationship relative to the closure flap 34 of the envelope.

As shown in Fig. 14, adhesive tape 37 terminates within the confines of flap 34 and is substantially flush with side edge 39 of the closure flap 34 thereby precluding any part of the tape from projecting beyond such side edge and preventing the tape from accidentally becoming engaged with automatic machinery, such as stamp cancelling machines or the like, in the postal department during mailing of the envelope.

Opening means to allow the end of adhesive tape 37 to be grasped, so that such tape may be torn through the folded flap 34 and separated from envelope body 32in a manner described previously with reference to the envelope embodiment of Figs. 1 to 9, is provided in conjunction with tape 37. Such opening means includes a slit or cut 42 which extends inwardly from flap side edge 39 a short distance in a direction substantially parallel to the inner edge of tape 37 and to the flap edge 38. In this manner, an envelope opening pull tab 43 (Fig. 13) is provided by means of which the tape and a thin portion of the closure flap adhered thereto may be grasped after the envelope has been sealed for opening the same.

Slit 42 of itself generally would be insuffi'cient to provide an opening pull tab if closure flap 34 were adhesively secured to the envelope body 32 for the full distance between side edges 39 and 39'. To preclude adhesive securing of the flap to the envelope body in the vicinity of flap pull tab section 43, protective strip 40 is transversely cut, as at 44, to divide the protective strip into two sections, one of which extends substantially the full length across the envelope flap 34 while the other section, designated 46, is of relatively short length and extends inwardly a short distance from flap side edge 39. Both sections of the protective strip are adhered to the adhesive tape 37 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

As a result of the transverse cut 44 in protective strip 40, when such strip is removed by grasping and pulling the pull tab end 41 thereof, the small tab section 46 of such protective strip is not removed from the adhesive tape but remains adhered thereto, as shown in Fig. 12. In this manner, when flap 34 is folded over into engagement with envelope body 32, flap tab 43 formed by slit 42 does not become adhesively engaged with the envelope body in that the small tab section 46 of the protectice strip is interposed between the uncovered outer adhesive layer of the adhesive tape 37 and such envelope body in the vicinity of the fiap tab 43. As a result, an envelope'opening pull tab is provided within the con fines of flap 34 which comprises flap tab 43 and protective tab section 46,'which may be readily grasped, as shown in Fig. 13, for opening the envelope in the manner described previously. Desirably slit 42 and protective tab section 46 are of substantially equal length and terminate at the. same location inwardly from fiap side edge 39.

In Fi' .'13, the envelope opening pull tab is shown bent out of the plane of the envelope flap for purposes of illustration but it should be understood that normally such opening pull tab lies in the plane of closure flap 34 when the envelope is closed thereby eliminating any danger of the pull tab becoming accidentally engaged with cancelling machines or the like. If desired, the pull tab end 41 of protective strip 40 and the envelope tape opening pull tab maybe colored in any appropriate mariner to facilitate 'the'lo'c'ation of suchtabs.

To facilitate further the opening of a sealed envelope, the'fiap'34 desirably is provided with a tearable line of weakness "47 which extends across the width of the flap substantially parallel to the iriner edge of adhesive tape 37 and toflap' edge 38. Sirch line of weakness 47, desirably in the form of perforations, begins at the inner end of slit 42 and extends from such end to the opposite side edge 39' of the envelope flap. Upon pulling on the opening pull tab, the adhesive tape and the narrow flap section lying between flap edge 38 and line 47 adhered to tape 37 are severed from the remainder of the envelope flap along line 47 and separated from the envelope body to effect complete opening of the envelope as described previously. By providing line of weakness 47, a neat envelope opening is insured.

The adhesive tape envelope securing means disclosed herein maybe applied to the envelope in any convenient manner. However, Figs. 15 and 16 schematically illustrate one manner in which the tape securing means may be applied to a series of envelopes of the type shown in Figs. 10-14. V

As shown schematically in Fig. 15, a series of envelopes 31 may be conveyed in any convenient manner beneath a roll of sheet material 51 comprising a web 37 of adhesive tape and a web or protective strip 49 adhered to one face of the tape web as shown in Fig. 17. The web of protective material is divided into two sections with an edge of one of said sections extending laterally beyond a side edge of the tape web and an edge of the other of said sectionsterminating substantially flush with the other side edge of the tape web.

The roll of sheet material 51 may be supported above the line of travel of envelopes 31 in any suitable manner.

The sheet of adhesive tape with the protective strip thereon desirably passes from roll 51 to a position overlying the envelope closure flap (Fig. 16.) whereby such tape is properly located adjacent the free edge of the closure flap of the envelope.

Means of any suitable type may be utilized to sever the sheet material transversely of its line of travel to provide an appropriate length of adhesive tape having a protective strip divided into two sections thereon. In the schematic showing of Fig. 15, a cutter 52 may be positioned relative to the sheet of material to successively sever a series of tape lengths for application to a series of envelope flaps.

Although in the schematic showing of Fig. 15 the envelopes are illustrated slightly spaced from each other during conveyance beneath the tape applying mechanism, it should be understood that such envelopes may be positioned in other ways, for example, with their flaps overlapping each other, to facilitate positioning of a length of adhesive tape with a protective strip thereon onto each of the envelope flaps.

The illustrations of Figs. 15 and 16 are intended to be merely illustrative of one manner in which one type of envelope tape securing and opening means may be applied to an envelope flap and other methods also may be devised for so applying the tape.

While the tape securing means herein has been described as being applied to the closure flap of the en velope, the adhesive tape also .couldbe applied to the envelope body with an adhesive surface thereof adapted 7 for engagement with the closure flap when such closure flap is folded against the body on which the adhesive tape is positioned.

Although the present disclosure describes adhesive tape securing means as applied to containers such as mailing envelopes, such securing means may be applied to other types of containers, instruments or devices wherein one flap or section is to be folded against another flap or section and to be secured thereto.

I claim:

1. A mailing instrument comprising a body section and a fiap section hingedly connected to said body section for folding thereagainst, and adhesive securing means on one of said sections for maintaining said sections in folded engagement with each other, said securing means comprising an elongated adhesive tape adhered to said one section and providing along the length of said tape a multi-ply thickness, a protective strip removably adhered to said tape and covering the same whereby said sections may be folded into engagement with each other without becoming secured together, opposite ends of said protective strip terminating within the confines of said one section with one of said opposite ends extending beyond an associated end of said tape thereby providing a free pull tab adapted to be grasped for removal of said strip from said tape, and an instrument opening pull tab at the other end of said tape terminating within the confines of said one section whereby said opening pull tab is protected and inadvertent opening of said instrument is precluded when said sections are secured together, said tape being graspable by said opening pull tab for removal of said tape when said sections are secured together to effect separation of said sections.

2. A mailing envelope comprising a body and a clo sure flap hingedly connected to said body and adapted to be folded thereagainst and secured thereto for sealing said envelope, said flap having opposite side edges and a free edge extending between said side edges, a slit extending inwardly from one of said flap side edges substantially parallel to said free edge thereby providing a flap tab, a length of dual purpose envelope sealing and opening adhesive tape adhered to said flap adjacent said free edge whereby a multi-ply thickness is provided in an area between said side edges, said tape having a small discrete section of protective material adhered to the end thereof adjacent said one flap side edge with the remainder of said length of tape being uncovered so that said flap may be secured to said body for sealing said envelope, said section of protective material and said flap tab cooperating to provide a tape pull tab terminating substantially within the confines of said flap whereby said tape may be grasped and pulled to tear said closure flap to effect opening of said envelope, said tape thereby serving to secure said flap to said body and also enabling said envelope to be opened without requiring separate opening tools.

3. An envelope comprising a body having an access opening therein, a closure flap having opposite side edges and a free edge extending between said side edges hingedly connected to said body and adapted to be folded over said opening into engagement with said body to close sa1d envelope, and adhesive means adjacent the free edge of said flap for securing said flap folded against said body, said adhesive means comprising an elongated tape extending from one of said flap side edges to a location spaced inwardly from the other of said side edges, said tape having a layer of adhesive on each of opposite sides with one of said layers securing said tape to said flap, an elongated protective strip adhered to the other of said layers whereby said flap may be folded against said body without becoming secured thereto, said strip being removable to expose said other adhesive layer whereby said flap may be adhesively secured in folded engagement with said body, an end of said strip extending beyond the associated end of said tape and terminating substantially amass flush with said other flap side edge thereby providing a free pull tab to facilitate grasping and removal of said strip from said tape; said strip being cut transversely at a location spaced inwardly fromjthe other end thereof thereby dividing said strip into two sections, one of said strip sections remaining adhered to said tape when the other strip section is removed; said flap being slit inwardly from said other flap side edge thereby providing a flap tab, said one strip section and said flap tab providing tape pull tab means whereby said tape may be grasped when said flap is folded and secured to said body and separated from said body to open said envelope, said tape thereby serving to maintain said envelope closed and also enabling said envelope to be opened without requiring separate opening tools and without endangering the contents thereof.

4. The envelope of claim 3 wherein said flap is provided with a line of weakness commencing at the inner end of and in line with said slit and extending adjacent the inner edge of said tape substantially parallel thereto whereby said flap may be torn along said line when said tape is pulled to facilitate opening said envelope.

5. A mailing instrument of paper or like tearable material comprising a body section and a flap section hingedly connected to said body section and foldable thereagainst and securable thereto during mailing of said instrument, and dual purpose means for securing said sections together and for effecting separation of said sections to open said instrument following receipt after mailing whereby the need for separate opening tools is precluded; said dual purpose means comprising a separate length of tape adhered to one of said sections and extending transversely thereof, said tape being of a material stronger than the material of said flap section whereby said flap section may be severed by said tape to effect opening of said instrument, the surface of said tape facing the other of said sections when said sections are folded against each other having a layer of adhesive thereon effective to secure said sections together, said tape having an in strument opening pull tab on one end thereof freely graspable for effecting separation of said sections by severing said flap section along the length of said tape, said pull tab terminating within the confines of said one section whereby said pull tab is protected during handling and mailing to preclude inadvertent opening of said instrument.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein said tape is secured to said instrument flap section, and wherein said opening pull tab is defined by an end portion of said tape which is non-adhesive relative to said instrument body section in cooperation with a predetermined portion of said flap section underlying and secured to said tape end portion whereby said pull tab is free of adhesive engagement with said body section when said sections are secured together by said tape.

7. A tape assembly comprising an elongated flat tape of predetermined length, said tape being coated on each of its opposite sides with a layer of adhesive, one of said adhesive layers being free of protective covering whereby said tape may be adhesively engaged by said one layer with a first surface, the other of said adhesive layers be ing covered throughout its extent by a protective strip removably adhered to said other layer and separable therefrom without effecting separation of said other layer from said tape, the effective overall length of said protective strip being greater than the overall length of said tape so that one end of said strip extends beyond an associated end of said tape whereby a pull tab is provided by which said strip may be grasped for removal thereof from said tape to expose said other adhesive layer thereby permitting said other layer to be adhesively engaged with a second surface, said protective strip being transversely cut inwardly from the end thereof opposite said pull tab end whereby said strip is divided into two sections one of which is shorter than the other, Said short strip section providing a protective tab which is to remain adhesively engaged with said other adhesive layer when the longer of said strip sections is grasped by said pull tab and removed, said protective tab and the tape end covered thereby providing tape pull tab means graspable to effect separation of said two surfaces subsequent to such surfaces being adhesively secured together by said tape.

8. A paper mailing instrument comprising hingedly connected body and flap sections, and dual purpose means for securing said sections together during mailing of said instrument and for subsequently effecting separation of said sections; said dual purpose means comprising a length of tape having opposite faces each of which is coated with a layer of adhesive, said tape being secured by one of said adhesive layers to said flap section and terminating within the marginal confines of said flap section, the other adhesive layer of said tape being covered by a protective strip which comprises two discrete sections each of which covers a given portion of said other adhesive layer, one of said strip sections terminating substantially flush with one end of said tape, the other of said strip sections extending beyond the other end of said tape and providing a graspable strip pull tab so that said other strip section may be removed from said tape without removing said one strip section, said one strip section cooperating with said one tape end in providing tape pull tab means when said instrument is folded for mailing; said tape being of a material stronger than the paper of said flap section whereby said tape may be grasped by said tape pull tab means and pulled from engagement with said body section to open the folded instrument following receipt after mailing; said tape pull tab means terminating within the marginal confines of said instrument flap section whereby said flap section protects said tape pull tab means and precludes inadvertent opening of said instrument during handling and mailing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,373,512 Kuhhorn Apr. 5, 1921 1,800,143 Hughes Apr. 7, 1931 2,191,704 Bennett Feb. 27, 1940 2,310,371 Lines et a1. Feb. 9, 1943 2,689,594 Wendt Sept. 21, 1954 2,771,385 Humphuer Nov. 20, 1956 2,859,907 McFarland Nov. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,989 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1939 

